Real Madrid pick right time to find magic touch with Man United showdown looming

With the return leg of their Champions League tie with Manchester United now imminent, momentum is beginning to gather pace at Real Madrid.

Minutes before the referee called time on a second Real victory over Barcelona in four days on Saturday afternoon, a cry of 'Jose Mourinho, Jose Mourinho' began to drift round the Bernabeu.

As the experienced observer sitting to my right in the press box murmured: 'We haven't heard that for a while.'

All white on the night: Real Madrid face Manchester United after doing the double over rivals Barcelona

All smiles: Jose Mourinho will take his side to Old Trafford on Tuesday

This is what it's like for a coach in Spain and especially in Madrid. Here the mood can change very quickly.

Mourinho has spent much of this season trying to ignore the dissenting voices as memories of last season's La Liga title have withered over the course of a hitherto dismal domestic campaign.

Now, however, just when he needs them most, Mourinho's players would appear to have discovered a little of their true selves.

Last Tuesday night's stunning Copa del Rey victory in the Nou Camp - a performance that 'shocked' United manager Sir Alex Ferguson - has now been followed by a 2-1 league win on their own ground, a triumph achieved without seven of the players who can expect to start at Old Trafford.

On Sunday morning, the Madrid written press with whom Mourinho has such a fractious relationship hailed their team's revival without a hint of shame.

'Madrid reigns again,' trumpeted AS newspaper, while competitor Marca said: 'Ecstatic whites are ready to launch an assault on Manchester'.

This revival, it must be said, goes against the popular narrative in Spain.

Two-thirds through a campaign characterised by internal conflict and squabbling, this is a Madrid team who are supposed to have given up on their season, a group of disgruntled players merely marking time until they can be rid of their preening Portuguese coach at the start of the summer.

Coming into form: Real Madrid celebrate during their La Liga win over Barcelona on Saturday

It is, remember, just four weeks since they lost against Granada, a result that tipped the balance of disfavour towards Mourinho once and for all. Even after Saturday's success, Real remain 13 points behind Barcelona in La Liga.

Nevertheless, as Barcelona begin to struggle in the absence of stricken coach Tito Vilanova - they are 2-0 down to Milan in their own Champions League last-16 tie - Real can sense an opportunity to rescue their season. Suddenly the pursuit of a 10th European Cup is less fanciful than it once seemed.

In Manchester, Mourinho and his players will encounter a United team who are also feeling the benefits of a successful late winter. Ferguson's players have taken great heart from the 1-1 draw in the Bernabeu that set this tie up so well three weeks ago.

Left out: Cristiano Ronaldo started El Clasico on the bench with Real's trip to Manchester in mind

Real are also aware that they will be asked to play on a pitch not suited to the counter-attacking football they employ.

So wary is Mourinho of this that he has decided not to ask his players to train on it today for fear of making it worse. None of this may matter, though, if Real can bring the form of recent days to Old Trafford and captain Iker Casillas was named in their squad despite only returning to training on Thursday after fracturing his left hand in January's 5-0 win over Valencia.

Real have the look of the purposeful, driven team which beat Barcelona to the Spanish title a year ago.

On Saturday, Mourinho began with an under-strength team and a peculiar formation that saw former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien at right back and central defender Pepe playing the holding role in front of the back four.

Welcome back: Iker Casillas will be in Real Madrid's squad to face Manchester United

He will come home to Manchester in the form of his life. The game was tied at 1-1 - Lionel Messi's 50th goal of the domestic season having cancelled out a sixth-minute strike from Karim Benzema - and beginning to feel flat when Ronaldo entered the field with half an hour left.

His influence was profound, bringing energy and directness, and moments after Sergio Ramos had headed what proved to be the winning goal, Ronaldo curled a free-kick on to the crossbar with apparent ease.

By that time, though, Mourinho had already disappeared, his thoughts moving towards tomorrow. It should be some night.